Its name may be Regal Seafood, but the place might as well be Regal Peking Duck. This new Cantonese restaurant, owned by the same folks as E-Tao in the Galleria, specializes in Peking duck carved tableside, and it's a sight to behold. The golden, crispy-skinned duck is wheeled out on a custom-made cart. Protruding from the cart at an angle is a long metal rod holding the entire bird. A gloved waiter holding a butcher's knife meticulously carves rectangular pieces of the Peking duck skin onto a plate, which are served with house-made pancakes, hoisin sauce and chives. As you stuff the pancakes with duck, chives and sauce, each bite is an explosion of flavor — just amazing. But that's not all that makes this one helluva Peking duck. Regal will make you an entirely new dish for a small fee from the remaining meat on the carcass. Now that's a winner.

A slew of new Peruvian restaurants have been popping up all over Houston, but Latin Bites is still the place for an authentic take. Though the menu has been changed to incorporate dishes from other South American countries, chef Roberto Castre's Peruvian roots shine through in his creative ceviches and beautiful causas, not to mention his veal-heart anticucho skewers, pollo a la parilla (grilled chicken), aji de gallina (chicken stew) and the signature lomo saltado (stir-fried beef). Castre has a deft touch with modern Peruvian cuisine as well, with dishes like duck confit over cilantro rice, Andean risotto topped with beef tenderloin and the altogether spectacular volcano rice. As for the pisco sour, the national drink of Peru, Latin Bites has that down as well, with an ultra-smooth, foam-topped libation as authentic and strong as any you'd find on the streets of Lima.

Located way outside the Loop in a remote strip mall on Bellaire near Kirkwood, Hai Cang Harbor Seafood is one of those places where it's all about the food. Entering the restaurant, you'll notice the tanks of live seafood just off the left of the hostess stand. Peer inside, and you'll see freshwater fish, eel, shrimp, lobster, abalone and whatever special is on offer at the moment. The menu is vast and varied, but the seafood is where Hai Cang excels. The two-lobster special is always a steal, ringing in at just about $20. And there are endless other options: black pepper clams, steamed whole fish, whole Dungeness crab in lotus leaf, deep-fried fish and much, much more to satisfy anyone who wants to feast on fresh, well-prepared seafood.

The fact that Fogo de Chão, one of Brazil's most famous chains, is right down the street hasn't stopped Chama Gaúcha from making a name for itself. This Brazilian steakhouse, which serves its meat in the traditional rodízio style, has been winning hearts since it first opened in September 2011 — and with good reason. You start with the salad bar, which is hyper-fresh and restocked regularly so that it always looks full and lush, and comes with a wonderful selection of cheese, olives and bread. Dinner starts with Brazilian cheese bread and sides of mashed potatoes, fried polenta rectangles and roasted plantain. Push the button to signal your server, and the meat procession starts, with skewers of top sirloin, garlic beef, garlic pork, lamb and more coming hot off the grill to your table, and sliced onto your plates. The quality of the meats is superb, and you can get them cooked as bloody as you prefer. The service is excellent and courteous, and you'll leave so full you can hardly breathe, marveling at all you were able to fit in your belly.

When you're looking for one of those gourmet hot dogs that'll knock your socks off, leave it to food truck Koagie Hots to do the job. The brainchild of chef-turned-food-truck-proprietor Matt Pak, Koagie Hots parks every night outside of Boondocks in the lower Westheimer area, offering a formidable menu of Korean hoagies and hot dogs. The best? The Koagie dog, in which a challah hot dog bun is filled with a quarter-pound kosher Hebrew National beef dog topped with Korean beef rib eye bulgogi, spicy mayo, Asian slaw and a fried egg. Over-the-top? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely.

Pastry chef Francis Reznik creates beautiful cakes every day at Rustika Cafe & Bakery for weddings, birthdays, holidays and every other type of celebration. But it's what's on the inside that counts, and Rustika's cakes are not only gorgeous, but delicious. Rustika offers dozens of flavor combinations, which makes choices difficult. No matter which one you pick, be it the sweet and smooth white chocolate raspberry filling between layers of delicate and crumbly white cake, or a rich chocolate cake with chocolate dulce de leche filling and chocolate buttercream icing (a chocolate lover's dream), you won't be able to put your fork down.

You'll never ask for more chocolate in Common Bond's chocolate chip cookies. As you break open one of the large, firm yet soft treats, you'll discover a hidden treasure of giant, slightly melted chocolate chunks; even after several hours, each chocolate chipper tastes as if it just came out of the oven. The sugary cookie base is balanced by a hint of saltiness. Just as with potato chips, it's hard to stop after just one bite. A single cookie is big enough to share, but where's the fun in that? Pair it with a glass of ice-cold milk for the ultimate dessert.

With ten different kinds of overstuffed po-boys and one of the best and boldest crawfish boils in town, this Cajun hot spot never fails to pack a punch of Louisiana flavor. There is, of course, a Texas twist, making this breed of Cajun cuisine uniquely Houston. Get spiced and crispy cornmeal-battered Gulf Coast oysters by the pound alongside Maw Maw's dark and rich gumbo, not to mention buttery shrimp and grits. There's also a pile of fries you'll be dreaming about for days to come. The thin, crunchy frites are topped with savory brown gravy and shavings of tender roast beef before being drenched in a subtly spicy chile con queso. Oh, and don't forget the jambalaya- and boudin-loaded breakfast burritos, too. As we said, Cajun with a Texan twist.

Owner Matt Toomey sources and roasts his own beans at Boomtown Coffee, and it definitely makes the difference. The house espresso blend, The Spindletop, is a slightly bitter and sweet brew excellent as simple drip coffee or blended with warm milk and sugar. Standard cappuccinos, cortados, flat whites and lattes are perfectly executed; iced mocha toddies are refreshing and sweet, the finely ground beans having been steeped in cold water for nearly half a day. Spend any morning sipping the creaminess and richness of a salted caramel latte paired with a flaky, buttery croissant.

Walk up to this crepe stand at the corner of Westheimer and Taft (Friday to Sunday) for a sweet or savory crepe made by the ever-entertaining Buffalo Sean. Choose a breakfast crepe filled with ham, egg and cheddar cheese for a Saturday morning breakfast, or opt for a sweet combination of strawberry, vanilla crème fraîche and Everything Granola from Sinfull Bakery for a Sunday afternoon pick-me-up. If he happens to run out of ingredients, it's no problem at all, Buffalo Sean will create a tasty combination with the remaining items. Each thin crepe is evenly stuffed, then folded so you can hold it in your hands and eat it on the go.